KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – A woman was stabbed to death by her husband in Sheberghan, the capital of Jowzjan province in northern Afghanistan, on Sunday night, Taliban authorities said.
The killing took place inside the couple’s home, Abdul Sattar Halimi, spokesperson for the Taliban police command in Jowzjan, said, adding that Taliban police arrested the husband.
Halimi described the motive as an “honor-related issue,” saying that authorities also detained another man accused of having an “illicit relationship” with the victim. No further details about the identities of the victim or the suspects, or the precise circumstances of the killing, were released.
The case comes amid a documented rise in domestic violence and gender-based killings across Afghanistan since the Taliban returned to power in August 2021. Taliban authorities have closed all women’s protection centers that operated under the previous government and dismantled legal and institutional frameworks, including elements of the Elimination of Violence Against Women law, that once provided some protections and avenues for justice.
The Afghan Witness monitoring project documented at least 840 cases of violence against women and girls between January 2022 and June 2024, including 332 deaths. Rights groups and activists say the true figure is likely significantly higher because many incidents go unreported due to fear of retaliation, social stigma, and lack of accessible support services.
A new regulation, known as “criminal rules of courts,” approved by Taliban leadership in early 2026 has drawn criticism from rights organizations for further weakening protections. The regulation criminalizes domestic violence only in cases resulting in broken bones or visible injuries, while permitting husbands to physically punish wives and children under certain conditions. Human rights organizations described the rule as entrenching discrimination and normalizing abuse.
Taliban authorities say they address violence against women through their interpretation of Islamic law and the justice system, though independent verification remains limited and access for journalists and rights groups is restricted.
